Lionel Messi finally achieved a lifelong dream of lifting the Fifa World Cup trophy, but that hasn’t stopped him from being a champion off the pitch.
The Argentine icon announced that he has joined a campaign to help the visually impaired in Ethiopia.
He said on social media that he teamed up with OrCam to donate visual aids to Ethiopians. OrCam’s MyEye is a device that is attached to a person’s glasses. It uses technology to help visually impaired people to read, recognise faces and identify objects. It does so through a small camera and an audio feedback system.
In 2019 the device was named the best innovation of the year by Time magazine, and it has now caught the attention of the world’s greatest footballer.
Messi, who is known for his philanthropy, will now assist in aiding one of the main health issues in the African nation. Around 1.18% of Ethiopia’s total population are visually impaired, BBC reports.
In comparison, South Africa has a blind population of only 0.75%.
A single OrCam MyEye device can cost up to R70,000. Messi is set to donate a large amount to provide for those in need.
It is easy, after becoming a world champion, to lose sight of those in need, but the exact opposite has occurred for Messi.
Humility is often what a player is remembered for, and for all Messi’s efforts on the field, his work off it will provide him with a lasting legacy.
Pictured above: Lionel Messi
Image source: Sports Mole
